The Tour de Victoria cycling event is set to take place this upcoming weekend, leading to a series of road closures throughout Greater Victoria.
This Saturday, August 17th, the streets of Greater Victoria will host the annual Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria cycling event, attracting nearly 2,500 cyclists from across Canada and the United States.
With riders selecting from eight different routes, this premier cycling event promises a day of excitement—but also significant road closures across the region.
Starting and ending at Victoria’s Inner Harbour, adjacent to BC’s Legislative Buildings, the event will affect traffic flow throughout the day.
VicPD officers, traffic controllers, and course marshals will be on hand to minimize disruptions. However, motorists are advised to plan their journeys carefully, as several key roads will be closed at various times.
Here is a detailed list of road closures you should be aware of:
Victoria:
- Between 6:50 a.m. to 7:15 a.m., 8:05 a.m. – 8:30 a.m., and 9:05 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Belleville Street, Government Street, Wharf Street, Johnson Street, Johnson Bridge, and Harbour Road.
Esquimalt:
- Between 7 a.m. – 7:20 a.m., 8:15 a.m. – 8:45 a.m., and 9:15 a.m. – 9:50 a.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Esquimalt Road, Harbour Road, Tyee Road, Skinner Street, and Craigflower Road.
View Royal:
- Between 7:05 a.m. – 7:35 a.m., 8:20 a.m. – 8:55 a.m., and 9:20 a.m. – 9:50 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Island Highway.
Colwood:
- Between 7:15 a.m. – 8 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Island Highway, Ocean Boulevard, Lagoon Road, and Metchosin Road.
Metchosin:
- Between 7:25 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Metchosin Road, Duke Road, William Head Road, Lombard Drive, Rocky Point Road, East Sooke Road, Kangaroo Road, Liberty Drive, Lindholm Road, and Happy Valley Road.
Sooke:
- Between 7:40 a.m. – 8:50 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Rocky Point Road, East Sooke Road, and Gillespie Road.
Langford:
- Between 7:55 a.m. – 9:50 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Happy Valley Road, Glen Lake Road, Langford Parkway, Leigh Road, Dunford Avenue, Jacklin Road, Goldstream Avenue, and Atkins Avenue.
View Royal:
- Between 8:15 a.m. – 10:10 a.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Atkins Avenue and Burnside Road West.
Saanich:
- 8:20 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Burnside Road West, Prospect Lake Road, and Munn Road.
Highlands:
- 8:25 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Munn Road: Vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction our cyclists will be travelling on.
Highlands:
- 8:35 a.m. – 10:40 a.m., Millstream Lake Road and Ross Durrance Road (between Munn Road and Willis Point Road): Northbound traffic only. This is the same direction as our cyclists.
- Willis Point Road: Two-way traffic will be permitted on Willis Point Road, controlled by traffic control personnel to allow residents from Millstream Road and Willis Point Road to exit to Wallace Drive.
Saanich:
- 8:50 a.m. – 11 a.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Wallace Drive.
- 9:05 a.m. – 2:10 p.m., vehicle traffic is permitted in the opposite direction of our cyclists. Cyclists will be travelling on Old West Saanich Road, Prospect Lake Road, Burnside Road, Charlton Road, Granville Avenue, Hastings Road, North Road, Doyle Road, Elkwood Road, Oldfield Road, Brookleigh Road, Cordova Bay Road, Haliburton Road, Cordova Bay Road, Ash Road, Grandview Drive, Ferndale Road, Gordon Head Road, Arbutus Road, Telegraph Bay Road, and Cadboro Bay Road. Please note that Cadboro Bay Road, between Sinclair Road and Beach Drive, will allow two-way traffic where needed to relieve traffic build-up.
- 10:15 a.m. – 2 p.m., southbound vehicle traffic only on Queenswood Drive.
- 8:20 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Willis Point Road.
Central Saanich:
- 9 a.m. – 11:10 a.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on Wallace Drive, Garden Gate Drive, Benvenuto Avenue, West Saanich Road, and Old West Saanich Road. (Two-way traffic will be permitted on Benvenuto Road and West Saanich Road)
Saanich:
- 9:10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., two-way vehicle traffic is permitted. Cyclists will be travelling on West Saanich Road, Interurban Road, Quayle Road, Beaver Lake Road, Hamsterley Road, Sayward Road, Alderley Road, Santa Clara Avenue, Claremont Avenue, Wesley Road, Sea Ridge Drive, Stormtide Way, Seaperl Place, Lochside Drive, and Royal Oak Drive.
Oak Bay:
- 10:20 a.m. – 2:50 p.m., full road closure on Beach Drive and King George Terrace. However, residents of Beach Drive, King George Terrace, and roads that can only be accessed through these roads will still have access to their homes.
- Traffic control personnel will allow residents to access their homes when there are breaks in the cyclists. Access to Royal Victoria Yacht Club, Oak Bay Marina, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, and Victoria Golf Club will be controlled by traffic control personnel.
Victoria:
- 10:40 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., full road closures on Crescent Road, Hollywood Crescent, Dallas Road, and the waterfront perimeter of James Bay, including Erie Street, St. Lawrence Street, Kingston Street, Montreal Street, Quebec Street, Pendray Street, and Belleville Street.
Victoria Inner Harbour:
- 4 a.m. – 8 p.m., full road closure on Belleville Street between Menzies Street and Government Street.
Motorists are urged to be patient and considerate throughout the day, as cyclists pass through your communities.
Cheer on the participants, and take extra care on the roads. This Saturday is a great opportunity to support a significant event in our region while staying informed about potential delays.
